CPI (Maoists) fled after their secret meeting was intercepted by the joint police forces of Andhra Pradesh and Chattishgarh to Tuesday in Bijapur district, only 18 kms from Andhra Pradesh border. In the encounter ther were at least nine Maoists, all of who belonged to the Khammam-Karimnagar-Warangal (KKW) divisional committee. This has been commended as a major achievement since most of the KKW committee has been eliminated now.

After the Khammam police received a tip off from a source that the Maoists convened a meeting at Chintalnar South Blaster area at the Puvarthi forest area on Monday evening. The Chattishgarh police and the Andhra Pradesh police formed a joint foce with Greyhounds, CRPF and the Chattishgarh police forming a strong force of almost 500 men. After reaching the spot at 6 am on Tuesday, they confronted the Maoists asking them to surrender but the Maoists open fired after they heard the police.

The open spray of bullets lasted for 2 hrs between the parties after which a large group of people managed to escape. Over 9 members of the committee were killed. Among them was the notorious Marri Ravi aka Sudhakar, the North Telangana state zonal committee member and secretary of the KKW divisional committee. Four SLRs, two .303 rifles, two Insas, one carbine, one tapancha, one 9 mm pistol, one muzzle rifle and one 8mm rifle were recovered from the site.

Identification of the bodies is not yet complete. Until now it is learnt that Marri Ravi (37), a native of Ghanpur, Warangal; G Laxmi (28) of Warangal district, KKW divisional committee member; Etti Narsakka alias Sabitha, area committee secretary; Jangoan Raju (29) of Warangal, area committee member; A Venkati (36) from Manthini, Karimnagar district, area committee member; Ajay (36) alias Bheema of Warangal, dalam member; and Seetha of Warangal, dalam member are all confirmed dead after the exchange of fire.

(AW- Anil)